Virat Kohli is just one 50+s score away from reaching 100 at home across formats, putting him on the verge of joining Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, and Jacques Kallis in an elite list, with the milestone possible in the upcoming South Africa series.
Virat Kohli is on the cusp of yet another milestone in his illustrious international career. The former India captain currently has 99 50+ scores at home across formats, just one shy of the coveted 100 mark. At present, Sachin Tendulkar leads the chart with 112 50+ in 313 innings at home, followed closely by Ricky Ponting with 106 in 308 innings and Jacques Kallis with 104 in 282 innings. Kohli is now on the course to join the elite list of cricketers and it could be as soon as the upcoming South Africa series, slated to begin on November 30 in Ranchi.
Most 50+ scores at home across formats
| Players | 50+ scores |
| Sachin Tendulkar | 112 |
| Ricky Ponting | 106 |
| Jacques Kallis | 104 |
| Virat Kohli | 99 |
Kohli spends time with Ruturaj Gaikwad in nets
Ahead of the first ODI, Kohli was spotted spending time with Ruturaj Gaikwad in the nets. The Chennai Super Kings captain is back in the ODI set-up after a while, but it’s unclear if he will feature in the playing XI. Veteran batter Rohit Sharma is expected to open alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal in Shubman Gill’s absence, and Gaikwad might have to wait for his opportunity.
However, it won’t be surprising if Gaikwad features at number four. With Shreyas Iyer unavailable due to injury, the Maharashtra batter could slot in in the middle order, but the team management could also trust Tilak Varma for the role. Regardless, during the practice session, he spoke at length with Kohli, while Jaiswal was spotted chatting with Rohit.
Key series for the Men in Blue
Under the new management, India lost to Sri Lanka and Australia in the ODI series and won only against England. After the series defeat to South Africa in the Test series, the players are already under immense pressure and they can’t afford another loss at the moment. The likes of Rohit and Kohli will have to take charge and carry on with the form that they showed in the Australia series. Meanwhile, Jaiswal will also have a chance to prove with worth in the format.